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by bowtruckle



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Angst with a Happy Ending, First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-24
Updated: 2016-12-14
Packaged: 2018-09-01 22:09:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8640058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bowtruckle/pseuds/bowtruckle
Summary: The law states that alphas must be bound to an omega before they turn 35.Graves turns 35 in two months. He's averse to the idea of having a mate, but as a man of the law, he discovers he has no choice but to find one. Tina swears she knows just the person for Graves, and in comes Newt, budding author and Magizoologist. Both have reservations about bonding, but both come to care about each other more than they ever thought they would.





	1. Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First time posting but how could I not attempt to contribute to this pairing??? I knew I was done for the second I saw Graves and Newt onscreen. A friend suggested I try writing an alpha/beta/omega story for these two so here I am!  
> I apologize in advance for any mistakes I make in regards to the magical aspect of this story, it's been a few years since I've read the books and watched the movies so I'm a little rusty. ; u; Also, I've never been to New York so I'm not too familiar with locations and whatnot, haha.  
> (P.S., I usually refer to Graves by his last name out of habit, sorry about that!)  
> I hope you guys enjoy!!

Graves groaned when he saw the note left on his desk. He had a feeling he knew what the meeting would be about, and quite frankly, he didn’t want to hear it. Nonetheless, he trudged down to Seraphina’s office and rapped promptly on the door.

“Come in,” she beckoned. “Hello, Mr. Graves. Do you know why I called you in today?”

“Because you wanted to commend me for solving your case yesterday?”

“Be that as it may, what I have to tell you has nothing to do with the case. However, thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied through gritted teeth.

“As you may know, the law dictates that alphas must be bound to an omega by the time they turn 35. While I wish I asked you in here to wish you an early birthday, you turn 35 in two months; you know I can’t assign cases to you if you’re not bound by that time.”

Graves knew. He was an Auror, after all. And Director of Magical Security. And head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The law of the land flowed through his blood. Hell, he even worked a few cases involving rogue alphas who nearly exposed the wizarding world once they went feral. An alpha’s tendency to be violent and irrational skyrockets once they reach the upper limit. As one might expect, this increase in violent behavior does little good for society, prompting the government to pass a law requiring alphas to be bonded by the time they are 35. Omegas serve as anchors to an alpha’s well-being and vice-versa; the bond is what keeps them sane. However, omegas also experience side-effects if they are not bound by the time they turn 30, and in their cases, the real damage is typically done to themselves. Unbounded omegas become severely depressed and anxious; as a result, several states have passed similar laws requiring omegas to be bound by their 30th birthday. The age a person begins seeing side-effects varies by person, but generally, it is recommended that alphas and omegas bond before they reach the upper threshold. Graves was quickly running out of time.

“Well?”

“Well, what?”

“I hope you’re about to tell me that you’re currently seeing an omega you plan to bond with.”

“Would it make you feel better if I said I did?”

“Only if it were the truth.”

Graves sighed and ran tense fingers through his hair, disheveling his appearance ever so slightly. Graves had always been in control of his life. He hated the idea of succumbing to baser instincts and he sure as hell didn’t want to be worried about his mate every hour of every day. Something that perplexed him even more was his mate worrying about _him_ every hour of every day. His job was dangerous; how would his mate feel if he didn’t come home one night? He didn’t think anyone should be subjected to that.

“Two months, Mr. Graves. I wish there were something I could do about it, but I can’t change your biology. If you need help finding–“

“No. Thanks. I’ll do it myself.”

“As you wish. You’re dismissed.”

Graves was stiff as he headed for the door. Two months. Two months to find someone to bond with. Two months before he potentially lost all control.

 

 

“Graves!” A familiar voice called out. Graves bit his inner lip and turned around. “Tina.”

“What’s wrong with you?” She retorted.

“Nothing. I have to get going–“

“Wait a second; did you just come out of Seraphina’s office?”

“And if I did?”

“She gave you ‘the talk,’ didn’t she?”

“What? I thought Queenie was the Legilimens.”

“You have to find a mate.”

Graves rolled his eyes and stepped around Tina. “Hey!” Tina exclaimed as she grabbed the sleeve of his coat. “I get it. She gave me the talk just before I hit 30. You and I are pretty similar in that regard, I guess.”

“I have two months, Tina.”

“Oh my, at least Seraphina gave me a six month warning,” she smirked.

“Very funny. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to find a mate.” Graves motioned for Tina to let go of him but she hesitated, fingers clenched tightly around the thick fabric of his coat and mouth slightly ajar as if in thought. “How about I help you?” She whispered.

“Why doesn’t anyone think I’m capable of finding a mate on my own? I’m not that uptight, you know.”

“You’re not exactly a ray of sunshine, either. You’ll scare everyone away with a scowl like that.”

“Goodbye, Tina.”

“Hey! I’m serious. I know someone. He’s 28, a wizard, and he’ll be visiting from London in a few days.”

“London? What’s he coming here for?”

“He, uh, has to pick up some stuff here and deliver some other stuff in Arizona.”

“You’re being awfully vague.”

“Every relationship needs a little mystery. Won’t you have dinner with him, at least?”

Graves figured he might as well. “Fine.”

“Great! I’ll let you know where to meet him. Oh, and be nice, okay? He’s a good friend.”

“I’ll do my best.” Tina knew that was as good as she would get from him so she released her hold on Graves’ arm and smiled. “You’ll like him. I know it.”

 

 

Tina slammed a piece of paper on Graves’ desk and crossed her arms. “Eight o’clock, that place down the street from Jacob’s bakery. I already made reservations.” Graves raised an eyebrow and cautiously took the paper. “Thanks,” he replied. “Don’t be late!” She exclaimed as she sauntered away.

Graves could admit that his interest was piqued. He hadn’t been on a date in… a long time. Yes, he was annoyed by the situation he was in. Yes, he didn’t want to bond with anyone. But he couldn’t help but wonder about the person Tina was essentially setting him up with. “Did she even tell me his name?” Graves mumbled aloud as he stared at the paper. He turned it over in his hands and bit back a smile. “His name is Newt!” was written in red ink along the back.

All that was left to do was wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I should be able to get a good number of chapters up this weekend, but updates will slow once the weekend is over since finals are in two weeks. However, that means winter break is coming up soon and then I'll have all the time in the world to write, hehe. (▔∀▔) I hope you guys liked it, and thanks again!  
> (Also, the amount of chapters might change as I progress, but the numbers won't deviate too far from nine.)


	2. Picket

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The *** indicates a shift in POV (the shifts are pretty subtle).
> 
> This chapter is twice as long as the first one but I hope you guys enjoy it nonetheless! Our lovely duo goes on their first date and the two hit a minor speed bump along the way (a small rocky, really).  
> By the way, I'm basically ignoring the whole thing that happened with He Who Shall Not Be Named Jr. in this fic and picturing Graves as a stern yet sassy (?) wizard. :')

Graves jammed his hands in his pockets and anxiously rounded the corner of Fifth Avenue. He set sights on the restaurant and made a beeline for the entrance, hyperaware of his surroundings and on the lookout for a “man with a large case.” Tina paid Graves another visit the day she gave him the note and mentioned that Newt would probably be wearing a blue coat (his favorite one, Graves recalled). Those two things would be good indicators that Graves found the man he was looking for. However, he didn’t see anyone fitting that description outside the restaurant so he glanced at his watch and rushed inside. ‘The note said eight o’clock, right?’ Graves wondered. He hated being late.

“Hello, reservation for Graves.”

“Yes, I believe your companion is already here. He arrived a bit early but the table was open so we seated him right away. Follow me, please.”

Graves nodded and held his breath on the way to the table. He couldn’t believe he was doing this. Couldn’t believe he was turning 35 in two months. It seemed like just yester–

“Hello,” a soft voice said. Newt rose from the table and extended a hand. There he was, blue coat and briefcase sticking out under the table. His hair curled at the ends and freckles dotted his nose and cheeks, eyes soft and light in comparison to Graves’ which were hard and dark. “Hello,” Graves replied as he took Newt’s hand. The handshake was quick and Newt quickly averted his gaze, hand shooting up to pat the pocket on his chest as if to make sure he hadn’t lost anything. Newt and Graves sat down and stared at the menu in silence.

“So, what brings you to New York?”

Newt set the menu down and looked up for an instant. “I’ve been doing a lot of travelling lately and New York was next on my list. I was just in Egypt, actually.”

“Exploring the world, I take it? How has the experience been so far?”

Newt smiled fondly and patted his pocket again. “It’s been amazing. The world is truly a fantastic place, filled to the brim with creatures just waiting to be discovered.”

“Are you a Magizoologist?”

“Yes, I’ve actually been writing a book, _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_.”

“That’s intriguing. How many beasts have you discovered already?”

“Oh, tons. I’m hoping the book will acquaint wizards and witches around the globe with creatures of all shapes and sizes from a variety of geographical regions. Each and every beast is unique and it has been my pleasure to get to know every single one of them.”

Graves smiled. Newt was so animated when he spoke about the various creatures he’d encountered. It was endearing, really.

“I must apologize, I tend to get carried away whenever I start talking about the creatures I’ve met.”

“It’s alright, it’s nice that you’re pursuing something you’re so passionate about.”

“And you, Mr. Graves? How do you like your job?”

“Just Graves is fine. I love it. Without the law, who knows what state the world would be in.”

“I must say, things are rather different here. More… strict, what with the no fraternization between Muggles and wizards rule and all. I mean, I know why things are… the way they are, but it seems so restrictive. Tina nearly took my head off the first time I performed magic in public.”

“The first time?” Graves inquired. Newt chuckled awkwardly and patted his pocket for what seemed like the hundredth time. “I suppose it is, but there’s nothing we can do about it for the time being. As of now, it’s probably in our best interests to stay under the radar. Makes things a little more complicated for wizards, but the pros seem to outweigh the cons.”

“Hopefully it won’t always be like this,” Newt said softly. “I think muggles would be quite fond of most of the beasts I’ve discovered.”

 

***

 

Newt glanced down at his case and shuffled in his seat. He needed to make sure the latch stayed put; a creature escaping in the restaurant would be less than ideal and Newt was sure Graves’ watch would disappear in an instant if his Niffler got loose again.

Coming to America made Newt nervous. He’d visited once before, but the rules in America were far more rigid than they were back home. One of the main reasons he had yet to find a mate was his fear of the relationship dynamic that typically existed between alphas and their omegas. An alpha’s word was on equal-standing with the law, and should an omega disobey their alpha, no one would blink twice if there were repercussions for such “unacceptable behavior.” For Newt, this meant potentially losing the ability to be with his creatures should his alpha forbid it. He would do anything in his power to prevent this from happening, but Newt’s power in relation to his alpha’s would be limited and he couldn’t help but fear the worst. In this case, that meant death, and should that happen, who would be there to care for his creatures?

Newt wouldn’t allow it. Having voiced his apprehensions to Tina before, he wondered why she set him up with Graves. From what he knew, Graves was a stickler for the rules; order was his top priority and Newt was sure he would do anything to uphold it. What would he do if he found out about his case? Not everything in there was exactly legal.

Newt’s case jerked and caught him by surprise. He nearly dropped the glass he was holding and grimaced when he realized the front of his coat was wet. ‘Thank goodness it was water and not wine,’ Newt thought as he awkwardly grabbed his napkin and attempted to pat the material dry.

It was at that moment that Picket decided to climb out of Newt’s pocket and onto his shoulder. Graves eyes widened when he saw the Bowtruckle. Their waiter was even more surprised. “Uh, w-what is that?”

Graves opened his mouth but was cut off by Newt.

“A rare species of grasshopper I brought over from Africa.”

“Oh. Okay.” The waiter didn’t look entirely convinced. “Your dessert will be out shortly. A Ms. Goldstein picked it out for you two.”

“Thanks,” Graves and Newt replied in unison.

“Newt, may I ask why a Bowtruckle was casually resting in your pocket?”

“He’s clingy?” Newt offered.

“What if that had been something you couldn’t pass off as a rare species brought over from another country? Like a Thunderbird?”

“Impossible. A Thunderbird can’t fit in my pocket.” Graves didn’t know if he wanted to laugh or groan.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to bring your creatures with you when you go out.”

“Oh, they stay inside,” Newt replied. Technically, he wasn’t lying.

“Is that so?” Graves inquired. He leaned over and glanced at Newt’s case. “Are there more in there?”

“Nope.”

“Tina told me you were recognizable by two traits: your case and your coat. Thus, I’m inclined to believe that you bring your case everywhere you go. And for good reason, I’m sure.”

“I have all my clothes in there. Quite convenient, really. A little bit of magic and I can bring my entire wardrobe with me.”

“Funnily enough, you don’t strike me as the type to bring three suitcases full of clothes for a week-long trip.”

“Curiously enough, you strike me as the type of person that would.”

Graves smirked. “Apparently there’s lots to be learned about one another.”

“Evidently.”

Newt was particularly defensive when it came to his creatures. He couldn’t help it if his replies came out a bit… sharp.

Newt dropped his gaze as soon as he recollected himself. Alphas like Graves usually intimidated him, but despite what just happened he had yet to feel threatened by Graves’ presence.

“I didn’t mean to pry,” Graves said. “About the case.”

“It’s okay, I understand where you’re coming from. I just… I can never bring myself to leave Picket home when he latches on to me like this.” The Bowtruckle clung to Newt’s coat and poked him in the neck. Newt laughed in response.

 

***

 

Graves could appreciate good-natured banter; people usually thought he was too serious to joke around. The Director of Magical Security in him was slightly upset that Newt seemed so lackadaisical when it came to his creatures, but his irritation quickly dissipated when “Picket” poked Newt in the neck and proceeded to stick his tongue out at the wizard after he laughed in response. The scene was heartwarming. And, as much as Graves didn’t want to admit it, Newt’s smile was infectious. He found himself holding back a smile of his own as the two continued teasing each other.

“Alright, alright, back in my pocket you go,” Newt motioned towards the Bowtruckle. Picket blew one more raspberry at Newt before complying. Right before he ducked inside, however, Picket narrowed his eyes and pointed at Graves, almost as if to say “I’m watching you.” Newt chuckled and glanced up. Graves liked it when he did that.

“Sorry about that.”

“No worries,” Graves responded. Newt maintained eye-contact for longer this time. Graves was able to really look at him, at the ocean blue of his eyes and the reddish brown of his lashes. The younger wizard looked away all too soon.

“Your dessert, sirs,” the waiter announced after seemingly appearing out of nowhere.

“Oh, thanks,” Graves said. “May I have the bill, too?”

“Coming right up, Mr. Graves.”

“Thank you.”

Graves and Newt talked about Hogwarts and Ilvermorny while they ate their dessert. At least Tina knew she couldn’t go wrong with cheesecake.

The pair rose from the table and proceeded to exit the restaurant. They walked a short distance together before Graves pointed Newt down a dark alleyway. “Where are we going?” Newt asked.

“I thought you might want to head home. Second Salemers have been patrolling the streets more frequently the past few weeks so we have to be careful.”

“Oh. I was going to–“

“Please don’t tell me you were going to Apparate in the middle of the street.”

“There was no one there–

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”

 

***

 

Newt smiled and looked towards the street. Surprisingly, he didn’t feel uncomfortable enclosed in such a tiny space with an alpha. Rather, he felt relaxed; Graves’ scent was reassuring. The two stood there in silence for what seemed like forever before Graves opened his mouth to speak.

“Wait!” Newt interjected once more. “I… did you want to see each other again?” He asked quietly. Graves was silent. Newt suddenly felt self-conscious. “If you don’t want to–“

This time it was Graves’ turn to interject. “No, I’d like to meet again.”

Newt smiled to himself and wondered whether he should propose what he was thinking. He wasn’t sure how Graves would feel about it but he thought the man’s reaction would be a good indicator of whether their differences would be too big to overcome or not. “Remember what you said about the Thunderbird?”

“Yes,” Graves’ eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“What if I said I had one? Not in my pocket, but… somewhere else.”

“I would ask why you have a Thunderbird and what you planned on doing with it.”

“Here’s the thing: I rescued a Thunderbird from traffickers in Europe and I want to  take him home. His home, in Arizona.” Graves didn’t know what to say. He was shocked more than anything. “I named him Frank,” Newt whispered, gaze fixated on the ground. “Will you come with me to release him?”

 

***

 

Graves couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Laws were being tossed out the window left and right. He stared at Newt in the dimly lit alleyway and considered his options. Sure, he could always say no and call it a day, but he didn’t like that option. He wanted to see Newt again; he hadn’t been this curious about someone in a long time.

Graves sighed. “Yes. I’ll come with you.”

Newt looked up and was practically beaming. “Frank will be thrilled to meet you!”

“Of course,” Graves replied. “The feeling’s mutual.”

“Great! I’ll see you then. Goodbye, Graves.”

“Goodbye, Newt.”

And then Newt was gone, leaving Graves in the alleyway to contemplate the events that just transpired. Graves felt oddly… content. He hadn’t expected things to go that smoothly and he found himself looking forward to the next time he would see the Magizoologist. ‘Two months,’ he thought. ‘Two months.’

And the clock ticked on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try to get another chapter up tomorrow but I'm working Thanksgiving evening/Black Friday so I won't be home for a while. Have a nice day and thanks for reading!  
> (P.S., they might get a little frisky next chapter LOL)


	3. Contact

“So, how are things with Newt?” Tina leaned against Graves’ desk and grinned at him. He was almost certain she already knew the answer to that question. She just wanted to hear him say it.

“Fine.” He stated. Tina rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “Fine? What’s that supposed to mean? Do you like him, does he like you, are you guys going to keep seeing each other?”

“Don’t act like you don’t already know. He’s staying with you, isn’t he?”

“Jealous?” Graves sighed and returned his attention to the case at hand. Another rogue alpha. A brutal reminder of what little time he had left.

“You want to know what he said,” Tina declared. It wasn’t a question.

Graves’ hand stilled on the work he was doing. He looked up at Tina and tried to conceal the curiosity that gleamed in his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something but shut it just as fast. After a moment’s silence he shook his head and continued studying the case at hand. “No,” he decided.

“If you say so,” Tina teased. “He plans to release Frank tomorrow night. Are you going with him?”

“Yes.”

“Are you guys going to Apparate there?”

“Probably.”

“Then be safe!”

“I always am.” Tina shot him one last grin before stalking away. It took him a second to realize that Seraphina had promptly taken Tina’s place. ‘Is this really happening?’ Graves lamented. ‘One after the other.’

“Mr. Graves. How’s your other… case, going?”

“Fine. And if people stop bothering me, the case currently in my hands will be done by tonight.”

Seraphina raised her eyebrows in silent surprise and raised her hands. “My apologies,” she smiled as the sound of her heels clicking on the wooden floor signaled her departure. Now it was Graves’ turn to roll his eyes. People could be so insufferable.

 

 

***

 

 

Graves and Newt met in the alleyway where they left each other on their first date. The two had convened several times since then and were growing to find comfort in the other’s presence, though neither would openly admit it. They spent a good portion of their time together practicing wandless magic, seeing as how it wasn’t as common where Newt was from, and Graves was happy to teach him. Although Newt had planned on releasing Frank shortly after their first meeting, he didn’t think Frank was entirely healed from the ordeal he went through in Egypt, prompting him to postpone the Thunderbird’s release by nearly a month. However, the day had finally arrived, and Newt could hardly contain his excitement. Newt’s hold on his case was steadfast and a seemingly permanent smile graced his lips.

“Hello, Newt.”

“Graves! Shall we get going?” Newt beamed.

“Yes, we can.” In an instant, Graves and Newt Disapparated and were in the arid deserts of Arizona. Newt glanced around and took in the sight. “Frank will be thrilled,” he exclaimed. Graves smiled and placed a hand on Newt’s shoulder.

“And it’s all thanks to you.” Newt glanced at Graves’ hand and chuckled nervously. “It-it was nothing really. Frank’s the one who did all the healing.” He wasn’t put off by the contact; he just didn’t know how to react to it. His relationship with Graves was something entirely foreign to him and he didn’t know how to approach it. He told himself he kept seeing Graves because of the law or because of Tina, but deep inside, he knew that wasn’t true. He just couldn’t admit it because of the implications having a relationship with Graves would have. He didn’t want to lose his freedom. He didn’t want to lose his beasts. Sure, spending time with Graves had shown him that the man wasn’t as stern as he’d assumed, but he was still someone who had close ties to the law. Someone who probably wouldn’t condone the illegal transport of all the beasts he had in his case.

Newt awkwardly shrugged Graves’ hand off his shoulder and bent down to unlock his case. “Can you turn around for a second? I don’t want to startle Frank.” It was a lie. He didn’t want to risk Graves seeing anything other than the Thunderbird.

 

***

 

“Sure.” Graves turned around and kept his gaze fixated on the setting sun.

“Frank. You’re home,” Newt whispered. A loud screech sounded behind Graves, drowning out the sound of Newt’s encouragement. When he heard the Magizoologist lock his case Graves turned around and was greeted by a flap of Frank’s wings. A flurry of dust hit Graves and Newt where they stood, but both men kept their eyes on the Thunderbird.

“Isn’t he beautiful?” Newt wondered aloud.

“He is,” Graves agreed.

Frank flew in circles and progressively got higher and higher in the sky. Storm clouds formed above them and it wasn’t long before the sun could no longer be seen. Tiny droplets of rain fell on Graves and Newt, but when Graves looked over at the younger wizard he could tell that the man was oblivious to it. Seeing as how Newt’s attention was fixed elsewhere, Graves felt he could look at Newt for longer without feeling awkward about it. The man was entranced by the scene before them, eyes bright even though their immediate surroundings were shrouded in darkness. Graves was entranced for an entirely different reason. However, his reverie was short-lived. The thought of Newt’s rejection flitted abjectly through his mind and suddenly Graves had a million questions. Did he upset Newt? Did he make him uncomfortable? How did he feel about him–

 

***

 

“That was amazing!” Newt exclaimed. “I can’t imagine what those traffickers did to him in Egypt… now he’s finally home.” The rain began picking him and Newt looked up at the sky and laughed. He pulled out his wand and formed an umbrella over him and Graves. “We should probably get going. I’m sure he’ll be at this for a while.” Graves nodded and the two Disapparated.

The bustle of New York City sounded around them. They Apparated on the roof of Tina and Queenie’s flat. Newt looked at Graves and felt that something was off. A tension that wasn’t there before permeated the air and Newt suddenly felt anxious. Did he do something wrong?

“I’m sorry if you didn’t enjoy it. Sometimes I project my love for beasts on others and forget that they aren’t as excited by them as I am.”

Graves looked up and shook his head. “No, no, I enjoyed it. It was beautiful. I just have a lot on my mind.”

“Like what?”

Graves was silent. ‘You,’ is what he wanted to say, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. Instead, he opted to apologize for what happened earlier. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable earlier.” Newt glanced at Graves in confusion when realization suddenly dawned on him. “Oh,” was all he managed to say.

“Just let me know if I do anything that makes you upset, okay? I don’t want to– “

Newt surged forward and planted a kiss on Graves’ lips. The kiss was soft. Innocent. Fleeting.

Newt pulled back and held his breath as he awaited Graves’ reaction. The older man simply stared at Newt, unable to find the words that would properly express how he felt. “I-I’m sorry, I d– “

Graves stepped forward and cupped Newt’s face with his hands. He resumed the kiss, but this one was far more rushed. Desperate, almost.

Graves’ eyebrows were knit together, as if he were experiencing some inner conflict, but suddenly Newt’s hands were clinging to his coat and the tension drained from his body. Newt took a step backwards and Graves followed, effectively pushing Newt against the nearest wall in an attempt to maximize the amount of contact the two could achieve given the position they were in. Graves’ hands drifted to Newt’s lower back and pulled him closer to his body. Newt took a deep breath and reveled in Graves’ scent. He wanted more.

Graves pulled back and planted a quick kiss on Newt’s jaw before returning to his mouth, licking the younger man’s lower lip in lieu of verbally asking for permission to deepen the kiss. Newt complied and shuddered when Graves’ tongue mingled with his own, prompting him to instinctively buck his hips against Graves’ to achieve the amount of contact he desperately needed in that moment. It still wasn’t enough.

Graves smelled Newt’s arousal and broke the kiss. He buried his face in Newt’s neck and growled near his ear, drawing a soft whimper from the younger wizard that further intensified the emotions running rampant between them. “Please,” Newt whispered. He tangled his fingers in Graves’ hair and licked his lips. “What do you want?” Graves asked, still preoccupied with biting and licking Newt’s neck. “Y-you,” Newt breathed. “I want you.”

Graves stopped when he realized the implication of Newt’s words. They just had their first kiss. Newt hadn’t even had time to consider whether he actually liked it or if it was just in the heat of the moment. He didn’t want Newt to regret anything they would do if they continued and he still had apprehensions of his own.

“We… we should slow down,” Graves said through gritted teeth. Newt looked hurt. “It’s not you,” Graves added. “I just think you should figure out whether this is what you really want or not.”

“What if I already know what I want?”

“Then think it over a little more. I don’t want you to regret this. We have all the time in the world to get to that point.”

“Not exactly,” Newt laughed.

“You know what I mean.” Graves leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on Newt’s forehead. The two stood there for some time, simply enjoying the other’s company and giving one another time to recollect themselves before parting ways.

“I’m going to hear about this tomorrow, aren’t I?” Graves inquired.

“Quite possibly. Tina won’t hear it from me, though.”

“But she’ll hear it from Queenie.”

“Most likely. Maybe you can take an early lunch.”

Graves laughed softly and planted one last kiss on Newt’s lips. “Goodnight, Newt.”

“Goodnight.” Newt gathered his belongings and shot Graves a smile before Disapparating.

 

Graves swore he heard Tina and Queenie squeal not a second later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a long two days at work but here's the third chapter! Seems like our dynamic duo are beginning to fall for one another, am I right? ;') The next chapter will probably get even more heated and then the angst sets in. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I'll be back soon!!


	4. Heat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took a little longer than expected but that's probably because most of it is Graves and Newt having a good time, if you know what I mean. Plus, this was my first time writing a scene like this so I was trying to be careful with wording, LOL. Plot progression comes at the end, hope you all enjoy it! ; o;)/  
> (this chapter is also pretty long oops)

Newt stared at himself in the mirror, mortified. _“Y-you. I want you.”_ He couldn’t believe he’d actually said that! And so boldly, too. “I’m a mess,” Newt muttered. He unbuttoned the top of his shirt and leaned forward to look at his neck. Although a little red, none of the marks appeared long-lasting. Newt told himself he wasn’t disappointed.

 _“What do you want?_ ” Newt felt his face heat up at the memory of Graves being so close. The warmth Graves emanated felt too damn good, too _normal._

It was all too embarrassing. He didn’t want Graves to think he was desperate. With his heat nearing, Newt grew anxious at the idea of what he would say or do the next time he and Graves met.

“Newt, it won’t do you any good to dwell on it,” Queenie commented. Newt stared at the floor, eyes wide and cheeks red. “It’s okay, honey. I don’t judge.”

“Thanks,” Newt mumbled.

“If you like him, tell him. I’d venture to guess that he feels the same way.”

“I... can’t. What if he finds out about my case? What if he takes them away?”

“Percy? He wouldn’t do that. Will he be thrilled about it? Probably not, but he’ll get over it. Especially if he likes you as much as I think he does.” Queenie winked at Newt and began preparing breakfast with a wave of her wand. “What would you like?”

“I think I’ll be leaving now, actually. Please tell Tina not to talk to Graves about it. As of now, I’m not sure I can ever look at him again,” Newt chuckled awkwardly.

“Will do, dear. Have a nice day!” 

 

 

The next few days were largely uneventful. Even if he exerted little energy throughout the day, all Newt wanted to do was sleep. He was frequently plagued by stomach pains and yesterday was met with the onset of a nasty fever, forcing him to reluctantly cancel his plans with Graves even though he’d been looking forward to them all week. Newt stayed home the next day too, choosing instead to nestle beneath a pile of blankets that offered him the warmth and comfort his body demanded he seek out. Newt knew what was coming. He just didn’t know why it was earlier than usual.

Although Newt hated to impose, he asked Tina and Queenie if they knew somewhere else he could stay during the duration of his heat. While staying in a secure hotel would be nice, being a freelance author and working for the Ministry hardly raked in enough to allow him that luxury. Tina and Queenie insisted he stay in the flat by himself for as long as he needed, but that only made Newt feel worse. The girls, however, refused to take no for an answer. They left later that night and made sure to shut any open windows in the flat so Newt’s scent didn’t attract any unwanted attention. An omega in heat. And one not bounded, at that. Alphas around the city would do everything in their power to find him, desperate to claim what did not belong to another. A knock at the front door startled Newt in his delirium. “Who is it?” He called from his room.

“Graves. How are you feeling?”

Newt shot up in bed and haphazardly wrapped himself in a bed sheet. “I’m–I’m fine!”

“I saw Tina and Queenie at the office so I figured you were home alone. I, uh, wanted to see if you needed anything. A washcloth or something.” Graves paused for a moment and mentally face palmed. “What I’m trying to say is, since Tina and Queenie aren’t home I can take care of you for a bit. If you want.”

Newt stumbled towards the door and stopped a few feet away. “I’m not decent,” Newt joked.

“I’d beg to differ.” Newt could almost picture Graves’ smirk on the other side of the door. “I–I want to let you in, trust me, but things are a little complicated right now.”

“Are you okay?”

A rush of slick trickled down Newt’s thigh. He winced at the feeling and stepped closer to the door, desperate to find relief in anything Graves could offer him. Newt inhaled deeply and felt his body go lax at the comforting smell of an alpha, his alpha, so close within reach. Newt whimpered at the thought.

 

***

 

“… Newt?” Graves wasn’t sure how he didn’t notice it until now.

The overwhelming scent of an omega in heat.

Graves was suddenly all too aware of his surroundings, of the beat of his heart in his temples and the seemingly large distance between him and Newt.

“You’re in heat,” he whispered. Graves clenched his fists and rested his forehead on the door. “I can leave,” He offered. “Just say the word and I’m gone.”

Newt turned on his heel and pressed his back against the door. “I… I don’t want you to leave.”

“Then… let me in.” Graves knew he should leave. It wouldn’t be long before he potentially went rogue and he was beginning to notice an unnerving uptick in agitated behavior on his part that made him wonder if he was one of the unlucky few who reached their limit before turning 35.

He knew he should leave. But he couldn’t.

Graves froze when he heard the door unlock. He watched the knob turn agonizingly slowly to reveal a one Newt Scamander wearing nothing but a white bed sheet. His cheeks were red and his hair tousled, and as soon as Newt opened the door wide enough for Graves to squeeze through, Newt’s scent hit him in full force. Graves glanced on either side of him to make sure no one was around before clamoring into the room and locking the door behind him.

Graves gathered Newt in his arms and gruffly asked where the wizard’s room was. A shaky finger pointed him in the right direction and Newt was thrown unceremoniously on the bed. He pulled the sheet tighter around himself, suddenly too self-conscious of his own body and the slick that was sure to leak out at any given moment. Graves simply stood there, one knee on the bed and the other foot planted firmly on the ground. His eyes were dilated, jaw tense as he stared at the man before him. _So beautiful_.

It was taking everything in Graves not to rip off the sheet and take what his body told him was begging to be claimed. Instead, Graves slowly moved towards the center of the bed and settled himself between Newt’s legs. He ran his hands up Newt’s still-covered body and exhaled a shaky breath, desperate to feel the soft skin that lay just beneath it. Newt allowed Graves to slide the sheet off his shoulders and down his torso, but the Magizoologist shook his head when Graves attempted to remove the sheet completely.

 

***

 

 “I–I’m sorry…” Newt felt the need to apologize. He was just a gangly set of limbs, something people told him all the time growing up, and he didn’t want Graves to feel disappointed once the sheet was completely off. Graves leaned forward and kissed a trail down the parts of Newt’s body that were exposed. “What for?” He mumbled against Newt’s skin.

“I’m… my body…” Graves understood what Newt was trying to say immediately. He stopped his ministrations and pressed his forehead against Newt’s, willing the younger man to look him in the eyes so he understood the gravity of what he was about to say. “Don’t. I don’t know what anyone’s told you, but if what they’ve said has made you uncomfortable with yourself, then they’re completely, unequivocally wrong.”

Newt found it difficult to maintain eye contact with Graves but he was glad he did. He saw the truth in the man’s eyes, the desperate need to convey that what he was saying was anything but a joke. “Thank you,” he whispered. Newt wrapped his arms around Graves and held on tightly to his coat. The man was wearing far too many layers.

“Your clothes… too much…” Graves sat up and chuckled before proceeding to shrug off his coat and unbutton his vest, throwing both behind him in a messy pile on the floor. He loosened his tie with one hand and caressed Newt’s cheek with the other, running his thumb along Newt’s bottom lip and exhaling a breath he didn’t know he was holding when Newt’s tongue flicked out to lick his finger. Graves hurriedly undid his shirt and tossed that behind him too, prompting Newt to run a hand up Graves’ torso, happy to finally feel skin on skin.

The older wizard entwined his right hand with Newt’s and lowered himself so they were face to face again. “That better?” Graves asked before planting a kiss on Newt’s reddened lips. “Quite.”

Newt moaned when Graves slid his tongue inside and used his free hand to rub a hardened nipple. Another rush of slick slid out of Newt and the wizard’s eyes widened, face beet red. “I’m–I’m sorry…”

Graves made a sound of disapproval and returned to the junction between Newt’s neck and collarbone. “I don’t know why you keep apologizing,” Graves sucked a dark mark into Newt’s neck, one that would definitely be visible if Newt’s collar slid a fraction of an inch below where it usually was, “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“I’m sorry,” he chuckled. Graves rolled his eyes and continued nipping and licking Newt’s neck, smiling when the man below him bucked his hips up in an effort to achieve more contact. “Is it okay if I remove this?” Graves motioned towards the sheet. Newt looked down and nodded. It wouldn’t be long before his heat was in full effect.

Graves gingerly took hold of the sheet and slipped it off Newt’s lower half, revealing a slender body that was as soft as Graves imagined it would be. Graves growled and leaned forward to claim Newt’s mouth in a deep, passionate kiss. “Beautiful,” he reiterated. Newt was on the precipice of his heat, minutes away from going past the point of no return. He was excited, but scared. The rational part of him still had its reserves, and he knew if he didn’t voice them now, he wouldn’t be able to later on.

“G-Graves?”

“Yes?”

“I’ve never spent a heat with someone else before, I’ve never… this, right here, is the most intimate I’ve been with a person. I don’t know if we should… I know in my heat I’ll ask, probably beg, you to do things to me I can’t imagine saying otherwise, but I… I know I seemed ready the other day but I don’t know if we should actually go all the way.” Graves rubbed Newt’s cheek with his thumb in an attempt to soothe him. “Hey, it’s okay. I meant what I said when I told you I came here to take care of you, and that’s what I plan on doing. We haven’t had time to discuss this beforehand so, although my… body might say otherwise, I didn’t come here with the intention of claiming you.”

Newt smiled softly and placed his hand over Graves’. “I don’t know what I’ll say to you in my heat,” he whispered.

“It’s okay,” Graves reassured him.

“What about you?”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” Newt turned his face into Graves’ hand and closed his eyes. “Okay.”

 

***

 

Graves wasn’t lying when he said he wasn’t there to claim Newt. But did he want to?

Yes.

Was he playing with fire?

Yes.

He knew if he wasn’t careful he could slip into rut, and if that happened, he wasn’t sure if he would have the willpower to resist Newt’s advances. Especially as they grew more and more bold.

Graves slid further down the bed and positioned his head between Newt’s legs. He firmly gripped the wizard’s thighs and bit the sensitive flesh there, making sure to bite with just enough force to ensure that there would be remnants of their night together there the next morning. The reddened mark stood out in stark contrast against Newt’s pale skin, and suddenly, Graves wanted nothing more than to mark every inch of Newt’s skin so that everyone knew who he belonged to. ‘Control,’ he thought. ‘Control.’

“Please,” Newt looked down at Graves and whimpered.

Graves smirked and licked a teasing stripe up Newt’s length. The wizard shuddered and bucked his hips only to be held in place by Graves’ hands. “H-hey, ah!”

Without warning, Graves took the head of Newt’s cock in his mouth and quickly worked on taking him deeper. He rubbed a finger against the Magizoologist’s entrance and slowly inserted it, pleased to find that Newt’s slick allowed him to slide inside with relative ease. Newt fell apart above Graves, moans breathy and fingers tangled in his hair, desperate to receive more than Graves was willing to give him.

“Graves, please,” he begged. Graves pulled off of Newt with a pop and sat up so that Newt’s legs were resting on his thighs. “Have you done this to yourself before?” Graves asked, voice rough and laced with curiosity. Newt averted his eyes and bit his lip. “Y-yes, during heats, mainly…” Graves’ hold on Newt’s thigh tightened and he was able to slip a second finger in alongside the first. “Oh!” Newt exclaimed. Graves smiled and leaned forward so that one hand was placed beside Newt’s head. He began thrusting faster, angling his fingers upwards so that he brushed against Newt’s prostate with each inwards stroke. Graves could tell that Newt was close and he felt his own cock strain against his pants as he watched Newt’s face, eyes half-lidded and mouth slightly parted to allow soft moans to escape and reverberate throughout the room. His eyes occasionally glanced up to seek approval and Graves was more than willing to give it.

“That’s a good boy, my perfect omega,” Graves praised. Newt’s fingers dug into the mattress, turning his knuckles white. “Come for me,” Graves commanded. Newt threw his head back and pulled Graves towards the crook of his neck. “Bite… bond…” Graves growled and licked over Newt’s bond point, teasing at it with a playful scrape of his teeth. Newt issued a guttural moan and held on tightly to Graves while his climax coursed through his body, spilling over Graves’ hand and causing more slick to drip from his hole. Newt shook as he came down from his orgasm, body soft and pliant in Graves’ arms. Graves watched Newt through the entire thing and palmed his length through his pants.

“Fuck,” he groaned. Newt looked up at Graves with a lazy smile on his face and a hint of curiosity in his eyes. “What are you going to do about that?” He inquired softly. Graves shook his head and moved to lay down beside Newt. “Don’t worry about it. How are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling much better.” Newt bit his lip, hesitation clear on his face. “What?”

“Can I… can I touch you? I don’t want to be the only one…”

Graves looked unconvinced. “Are you sure? You don’t have to–“

“I want to.” Newt clambered on top of Graves and placed both hands on the man’s chest to hold him down. “D-don’t move, okay?” Graves nodded and Newt worked quickly to take off the Auror’s pants. He rubbed his hand against Graves’ erection and reached inside the man’s underwear to grasp his length. It was hot and heavy in Newt’s hand and the wizard stroked Graves slowly, experimenting with different angles to find the one that Graves seemed to like best. Newt slid to the floor and motioned for Graves to sit up so that he could situate himself between the man’s legs in a position that felt a lot less exposed than the one Graves assumed earlier. He took Graves’ cock in his hands and brought it to his mouth, tongue flicking out experimentally to taste Graves and lick at the tip. Graves growled and placed an encouraging hand on the back of Newt’s neck, eyes glazed over and struggling to remain focused less he fall into rut. Newt took more of Graves in his mouth as he got more comfortable and it wasn’t long before he was hard again. The wizard reached down to stroke his own cock while he continued sucking Graves’, a sight of which proved to be too much for the latter as he grabbed hold of Newt’s arm and yanked him back on the bed. “Did I–did I do okay?”

“You did more than okay,” Graves groaned, voice low and riddled with desire. Graves took both their cocks in his hand and stroked in tandem with his heartbeat, quickly bringing Newt back to the edge of climax. Graves teased him, stopping when he thought Newt was close and resuming once the wizard’s pulse began to slow. “G-Graves,” Newt groaned. “Please… inside–I want you inside me.” Graves bit his inner cheek to keep his grasp on reality. This was Newt’s heat talking.

“Please, Graves… a-alpha.”

Graves had to close his eyes to compose himself. He felt his rut boiling beneath the surface, threatening to spill out at any moment. “Alpha,” Newt cooed, further weakening Graves’ resolve. Graves covered Newt’s body with his own and brought his mouth back to Newt’s bond point, digging his teeth into the flesh there and recoiling when he realized he almost broke skin. Graves leaned back and pressed two fingers against the wizard’s lips. Newt gladly took them in his mouth and coated them with a generous amount of saliva, giving Graves the lubrication he needed to continue stroking both their cocks to completion. Graves crashed his lips against Newt’s and groaned when he came, spilling all over Newt’s stomach and propelling Newt into his second climax of the night. Graves grabbed Newt and rolled them over so that Newt was lying on his chest, both men still breathing heavily as they worked to recollect themselves. “You should get some rest,” Graves proposed. “The second wave of your heat will probably hit in a few hours.” Newt nodded sleepily and draped his arm over Graves’ stomach. His eyes fluttered closed and soon he was asleep, leaving Graves to lay there alone with his thoughts. While the idea of bonding seemed entirely out of the question just a month earlier, Graves found himself growing rather accustomed to the thought of bonding with Newt. He looked down at the slumbering wizard and committed every mole and every freckle to memory, gently tracing a line against the man’s cheek and smiling when Newt wriggled his nose to protest the sensation.

Maybe bonding wouldn’t be so bad after all. 

 

 

It was on the last night of Newt’s heat that Graves saw the suitcase move.

He heard the latch pop open and approached it with caution, hand extended in preparation to defend himself from whatever lay inside. A tiny hand emerged from the suitcase and Graves glanced at Newt to make sure he was still asleep. Gingerly, he stooped down to lock the case and breathed a quiet sigh of relief when the clawed hand retreated back inside. If the creature had escaped there was no doubt that Graves would have woken Newt up attempting to hunt it down.

Graves moved the case closer to the bed and sat down, eyes never leaving it to make sure that nothing else would attempt to break free. Although he had his suspicions, Graves never pressed Newt to find out what was really inside it. Most of his suspicions centered around magical creatures, but given his position in the wizarding world, it came as no surprise to Graves that Newt was hesitant to clue him in on the very illegal beings residing in his case.

What really surprised him was his decision to turn a blind eye to the situation. Graves was never one to bend the law, but he had faith that Newt didn’t have anything truly dangerous in his case. He saw the way Newt talked about and interacted with his creatures, and telling Seraphina could potentially rip Newt’s source of happiness away from him. The Auror didn’t want that. Thus, Graves thought it best to pretend that he was oblivious to whatever else Newt had in there. If something were to happen, Graves was willing to take full responsibility for it, but he strongly doubted that Newt Scamander would intentionally seek to bring about the downfall of wizard-kind with the contents of his case. If he did, Graves might just have to rethink his position at M.A.C.U.S.A. 

 

 

Newt’s heat drew to a close later that night and he and Graves were thoroughly exhausted by the end of it. With a yawn, Newt settled back into bed and asked Graves if he would be joining him. Although it hurt Graves to say no, he had to get back to the office to make sure that everything was still in order. After all, a lot can happen in three days.

“I’ll be back by ten,” Graves promised. Newt wasn’t thrilled by it, but he understood that Graves had three times the responsibilities of any ordinary wizard on his shoulders. The two shared one last kiss before Graves donned his scarf and Disapparated to M.A.C.U.S.A. headquarters, leaving Newt in bed with a slightly unsettling feeling in his stomach. Dismissing it as post-heat exhaustion, Newt didn’t think too much of it and thought over the last few nights he and Graves shared together. He blushed at the memory of everything he said and did, but if anything, he emerged from his heat more confident than he was before. There was still the matter of his case, but Newt felt so strongly in his connection to Graves that he decided to heed Queenie’s words.

When Graves returned, he would tell him how he felt. He remembered how close Graves had gotten to sinking his teeth into his neck, and although the thought would have terrified him weeks ago, Newt felt sure that he was in good hands.

Despite being exhausted, Newt decided to stay up and wait for Graves to return. To pass the time, he cleaned up around the flat and climbed inside his case to shower his beasts with affection to make up for his three-day absence. He was glad he had the foresight to leave extra food for them in case of his heat.

At five minutes before ten Newt clambered out of the suitcase and sat on the bed to wait for Graves. At half past ten, Newt decided to take a shower. At a quarter past one, Newt thought it would be best to get some rest so he wouldn’t be sleep-riddled by the time Graves returned.

When Newt woke up the next morning, however, Graves was still nowhere to be seen. Worried that Graves changed his mind and didn’t want anything to do with him anymore, Newt got dressed and headed to M.A.C.U.S.A. headquarters to pay “Tina” a visit. If Graves didn’t want to see him anymore, he thought he at least deserved to know why. He hated post-heat emotions. It was the only thing Newt could think of to explain his behavior and the nauseating feeling in his stomach. He asked around to try and find out where Graves was but everyone said they hadn’t seen him in days. When he ran into Tina and Queenie, they thought he was still with him. Sullenly, Newt returned to the flat and collapsed on the bed. ‘Where has he gone?’ He wondered. Newt stared at the ceiling and paced around the flat all day, waiting for the air to distort and for Graves to emerge in its place.

 

The sun set and rose like any other day, but Graves never showed up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun!  
> Finals are coming up soon and I have a major presentation later this week so I don't expect the next chapter to be up until Friday or Saturday. Sorry to leave you all on a cliffhanger until then! LOL  
> Other than that, I hope you guys liked this chapter and I'm so happy to see more works in the Graves/Newt tag!!


	5. Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot happens in this chapter but I tried not to drag it out too much! Since the last two chapters have been considerably longer than the first few I estimate that the series will end with seven chapters in total, rather than nine. Thank you, and as always, I hope you guys enjoy! (~ indicates a flashback by the way, and tags have been updated to reflect added characters!)

Newt couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. He wandered aimlessly around New York, telling himself that he was on the lookout for magical creatures even though he knew that wasn’t true. After some careful consideration Newt concluded that one of two things probably happened: either Graves didn’t want to see him anymore or the Auror was missing. Although it hurt to consider the first option, Newt almost preferred it to the thought of Graves up and vanishing without a trace.

He carefully weighed his options but found that both held their merit. However, Newt thought it strange that Graves would miss two days of work without giving anyone notice. According to Tina, not even the Madame President knew where Graves was, and Newt knew how dedicated the Auror was to his job. He also knew that Graves was an exceptionally talented wizard who could more than hold his own in a fight; thus, Newt didn’t think it plausible that someone could gain the upper hand on the man.

Unless he were caught by surprise.

 

Newt Apparated back to the flat and approached Queenie, concern etched clearly on his face. She didn’t have to read his mind to see that something was wrong.

“Newt, dear, what’s wrong?”

“Graves, I–I think he’s missing. Do you… can you access his thou– “

“Honey, say no more!” Queenie closed her eyes and did her best to concentrate in spite of her worries, both for Graves and for Newt.

Although difficult, it was definitely possible to channel Graves’ mind. After all, she had experience reading his thoughts from all the times he fought with Tina. Queenie’s eyes opened in surprise when she found that his mind offered little to no resistance to her ministrations. His thoughts, however, were quite muddled. It was difficult to make anything out, but one thing Queenie was sure of was that he was troubled. The inside of a house also came to mind, but given the vastness of New York City, that could mean he was anywhere. Newt absorbed what Queenie said and did his best to keep from trembling. He didn’t care if he’d have to search every house in the city; he resolved to find Graves no matter what.

 

 

 

Graves was groggy when he woke up. His hands were behind his back, bound by chains and a spell that prevented him from moving.

~

“Come along, Graves, we can’t have you running back to Seraphina, now can we?” Graves was pulled to his feet and pushed forward only to fall to his knees a second later. “Legs giving out on you?” Grindelwald laughed. “No matter, off we go.” The two Apparated to a house that looked oddly familiar to the Auror. It was in the heart of New York City, surrounded by buildings and decorated generously with flyers that Graves couldn’t quite make out in his hazy state. Grindelwald pulled a potion out of his pocket and drank it down in one gulp, allowing him to take on the form of a young, unassuming woman. She led Graves to the front door and feigned exhaustion, breathing heavily as she rapped on the door in rapid succession.

“Chastity, where have you been?” An older woman exclaimed upon opening the door. “And who is this?”

“Mother, you would never guess what happened! I–I was on my way home and happened upon two wizards, engaged in conflict, when this one looked to be struck by a particularly nasty spell that sent him flying mid-air! The other wizard saw me and disappeared, right before my very eyes, leaving him behind. I approached him cautiously and saw that he couldn’t move, presumably because of the spell, so I dragged him here. Imagine what we could do to him; all the information we could get from him!”

Mary Lou assessed Graves curiously. “And what if the spell is only temporary? How did you even manage to drag him here, a man of this size?”

“We can restrain him ourselves. Chaining his hands should be enough to keep him from doing anything funny. And moving him here was easy, really. All I had to do was repeatedly pull him to a stand and push him so he moved forward a few feet. Oh, and this was near his body,” Chastity pulled Graves’ wand from her pocket and presented it to Mary Lou. The older woman snatched it from her hands and broke it in two, smirking down at Graves before flinging it in the street. “You’ve done well, Chastity. We’ll get all the information we can get from him before delivering him to the Shaws. How could they turn us away then?”

Chastity nodded excitedly. “We should get him in the basement before anyone sees.”

“Credence!” Graves heard heavy footsteps shuffling down the stairs that froze upon seeing the Auror lying motionless on the floor. Chastity and Mary Lou had pulled him inside, stripping him of his coat and searching it for anything else they felt should be confiscated. “M-mother, who...”

“Enough, Credence. Help Chastity move him downstairs and chain his hands once you’ve got him situated.” Credence swallowed nervously and bent down to throw Graves’ arm over his shoulder, pulling him up and leading him down the stairs to the basement. Meanwhile, Mary Lou pulled Graves’ M.A.C.U.S.A. identification card from his pocket and smiled. “A man of power, it seems. Even better.”

 

Credence set Graves on the hardwood floor and bound his hands behind his back with a rusty chain. Chastity followed close behind, eyes never leaving Graves’ as Credence did Mary Lou’s bidding. “Isn’t he fascinating, Credence?” Credence looked up and licked his lips. “I-I suppose… what’s–what’s Mother going to do with him?”

Chastity approached Graves and grabbed a fistful of the Auror’s hair, pulling his head back and looking down at him with recognizable malice in her eyes. “Torture him, I suppose. Drown him, burn him… just like they did to witches back in the day when we first found out about their existence. Why it all stopped… I don’t know.” Credence fidgeted with the hem of his shirt and bit his lip to keep from crying. Chastity stuffed a few strands of Graves’ hair in her pocket and backed away. “Come now, Credence. We’ll deal with him later.” Credence nodded uncertainly and followed Chastity up the stairs. Mary Lou met them in the dining room.

“Did you still want me to leave for Pennsylvania tonight? Or would you prefer I leave in the morning?”

“You should still leave tonight, Chastity. The President will be in Pennsylvania soon and it wouldn’t hurt to have him backing our story. Especially now that we have undeniable proof.”

Chastity smiled and headed for the door. “I’ll let you know if I’m able to get in contact with him. Goodbye, Mother. Credence.”

Chastity crossed the street and stopped when she saw Graves’ wand, broken and lying in a puddle. She stared at her reflection and sneered. ‘Disgusting. I’ll be sure to thank them by doling out a quick and relatively painless death once I find the Obscuris.’ Grindelwald knew it was one of the children in the house, and having Graves there to serve as an example of what’s done to wizards who are caught is sure to scare whichever child it is into revealing itself. And when that happens, Grindelwald would be ready to receive them.

~

Graves’ memories were spotty but he remembered Grindelwald with astounding clarity. He also remembered the man taking a sample of his hair, presumably to concoct a Polyjuice Potion that would allow him to turn into Graves for whatever nefarious reasons he possessed.

‘Newt,’ Graves thought with sudden fear. The moment Grindelwald turned into him and resumed life as normal there was no doubt that he’d encounter Newt.

Grindelwald was an unbounded alpha and the implications of that made Graves’ blood boil. Despite already possessing many of the beliefs he has now, choosing to stay unbounded served to amplify his malevolent nature and desire to dominate Muggles. He would try to take advantage of the Magizoologist, and Graves was terrified.

The door to the basement opened and quiet footsteps descended the stairs. Graves looked up to see Credence, the boy who’d brought him there and chained him. “W-would you like some water?” He asked softly. “Okay,” Graves answered, somewhat dubiously. Credence brought the glass to Graves’ lips and willed himself to keep his hand steady. Graves winced at the scars on the boy’s palms.

When the glass was empty Credence set it down and looked at the man, physically pained by the visible injuries that adorned Graves’ skin. “Y-your head… your arms…” Credence placed a hand over his heart and backed himself into the nearest corner. “Why… why is she doing this?”

Graves looked at the boy and sighed. “You should leave before she comes back. She’ll punish you for being down here.”

“Wizards… witches… they’ve never done anything to us… never hurt us…” Credence looked at his hands and caressed the scars there. “Why?”

“Credence. You need to leave. She’ll be back any minute now.” Credence’s head shot up and tears filled his eyes. “Will you… will you be okay?”

Honestly, Graves wasn’t sure. His heart throbbed painfully when he considered not making it out of the house alive. “I’ll be fine,” he replied. ‘I’ll be fine.’

 

 

 

It had been nearly four days since Graves went missing.

Newt’s legs buckled beneath him when he returned to the flat. Tina and Queenie rushed to his side, eyebrows furrowed in concern. “Newt, dear, are you alright?”

“I didn’t… I didn’t find him. I searched so many houses, nearly got arrested at one point, but I still… I still haven’t found him. I have to go back out there– “

Newt motioned to open the door but Tina placed a hand on his arm to stop him. “Newt… you have to get some rest. It’s our turn to search for him… while we’re gone, try to get some sleep, if only for a few hours.” Newt’s heart was pounding wildly in his chest. “What if he’s…”

Queenie shushed him and gave him a hug. “He’s alive, dear. I know it.”

Newt nodded and trudged towards his room. A few hours would do him some good.

 

 

 

“Tell me, Mr. Graves, where is the Magical Congress of the United States located?”

“In America,” Graves retorted as blood trickled down his chin, staining the hardwood floor beneath him.

“Very funny. I would answer truthfully, if I were you.”

“And it’s a good thing you’re not me. I can only imagine what sort of havoc you would wreak if you were of magical descent.”

“Me? Of magical descent? I’d sooner kill myself.”

“Then I take back what I said–“

“I’ve had enough of your lip, Mr. Graves. Credence, hand me the matches." The boy hesitated. "Now!” Credence produced the matches from his pocket and placed them in Mary Lou’s hand. He closed his eyes and turned away, too frightened to watch as the match in Mary Lou’s hand flickered to life. “Credence, turn around. You must see what happens to people like _him_.” Mary Lou stooped behind Graves and held the match to his hands, searing the skin there and smiling when Graves hissed in pain.

“Stop!” Credence shouted. Mary Lou stood, match in hand, and stared at the boy in bewilderment. “Excuse me?”

“I said… stop.” Credence’s hands were at his sides, balled into fists, his gaze downcast. “Who do you think you are–” The match flew from Mary Lou’s hand and fell to the floor, extinguished. Mary Lou stormed Credence, pushing him against the wall and smacking him upside the head. “You monster! You’re just like him–“ A black aura surrounded Credence and Mary Lou pulled back. “I can’t believe we housed you, cared for you,” Credence’s eyes shot up to meet Mary Lou’s. “Cared… for me? On what planet would you consider this caring for me?!” He shouted as he displayed his palms, bleeding from how hard he dug his fingernails into the marred skin. Mary Lou flew across the basement and collided with a beam, bending her in half at the waist and causing her to fall to the ground with a resounding thump. Graves’ eyes widened at the sight of her body, contorted and skin cracked. “You’re an Obscurial,” Graves realized. “We can… we can help you, Credence. We can help you control it.”

Tears fell from Credence’s eyes as he looked at Graves. “Look at what she’s done to you… what she’s done to me! I… I don’t think I want to control it.”

“Credence, you don’t mean that. You don’t want to kill anyone–“

“Am I the monster here, Mr. Graves? I… I don’t think so. Imagine how many others are out there, like me, being abused and forced to suppress who they really are. I can… I can help them.” Credence succumbed to the Obscuris and whipped his way out of the basement, sending floorboards flying as he went. Grindelwald was just about to take another swig of Polyjuice when he saw Credence, face visible in the black cloud that emerged from the house. Credence slipped into the sewers and Grindelwald reached for the potion that would turn him into Graves, instead. He knew Credence sympathized with Graves, saw him as another victim of vicious Muggle behavior. All he had to do was convince Credence to join him and come back to finish Graves off once he was done. A change in appearance shouldn’t be too big of a shock, all things considering. He was sure the boy would believe anything he told him, anyhow.

 

 

 

Newt didn’t get any sleep. His mind and heart were racing as he lay in bed, hands fidgety as he thought about Graves and where he could be. “Sorry Tina, Queenie,” he muttered as he got out of bed and donned his coat. He Apparated to the last house he searched and continued down the road, startled by the sight of a black entity slipping into the sewers not even fifty feet in front of him. Newt ran towards the drain and glanced at the house in front of it. The door was cracked down the middle and, from what Newt could see, the interior lay in notable disarray. A grey scarf strewn on a nearby bush caught Newt’s eye. ‘Graves,’ he thought. He picked up the scarf and ran his fingers over the soft material before bringing it to his nose, comforted by the familiar scent of the Auror. He wrapped the scarf around his neck and inhaled once more, only, something wasn’t quite right.

The scent was different, minutely so, but enough for Newt to fling the scarf to the ground in disgust. His attention returned to the house before him.

Warily, Newt approached the house and finagled his way inside, eyes immediately falling on the door to the basement which looked to have been almost entirely ripped from its hinges. Newt scented the air and felt his heart skip a beat when he noticed the faint trace of Graves’ scent, his real scent.

He clambered towards the door and did his best to carefully traverse the battered steps, elated to find that Graves’ scent grew stronger the farther down he got.

Newt froze at the bottom of the stairs. “Graves…?”

Graves lifted his head, no longer paralyzed, and blinked rapidly to make sure his eyes weren’t deceiving him. “Newt,” he exclaimed, breathless. Newt hurried to Graves’ side and cupped his face in his hands. “It’s you,” Newt whispered. “I’ve finally found you.”

Graves smiled and slumped against Newt’s body, resting his head on the Magizoologist’s shoulder. Newt placed a hand on the back of Graves’ head and pulled him closer, chuckling when the man’s nose rubbed against his neck.

Graves froze when he smelled it.

He lifted his head and growled, eyes burning angrily as a thousand thoughts flitted through his mind. “Where did he touch you?” If he weren’t still chained, Newt was sure he’d be pinned to the nearest wall. “W-what?”

“Where did he touch you?” Graves repeated, patience wearing thin. Newt put his hands on Graves’ shoulders. “Who? No one’s touched me besides Tina and Queenie.”

“I can smell him,” Graves replied through gritted teeth. “All over your neck.”

Newt’s eyes widened in surprise. “The scarf… I found a scarf outside and thought it was yours. Actually, I’m almost certain it belonged to you, only, something was off about it. It smelled like you, but not really…”

Graves heaved a sigh of relief and mentally cringed at his overt display of possessiveness. “I’m sorry for snapping,” he muttered. Newt smiled and stood to retrieve his wand. With a wave of his hand, Graves’ restraints fell to the floor.

“Who did this to you?” Newt wondered aloud as he ran the tips of his fingers over Graves’ face and arms, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw the state of Graves’ hands. “Merlin…”

Newt fumbled for his case and shoved his arm in the opening. “Just one second, I–I think I have something in here that will do the trick.”

“Is it a drink?” Graves could really go for one of those, Prohibition be damned.

“No, not exactly,” Newt laughed. “Ah, here we go.” His hand emerged grasping a small vial filled with a clear liquid. “Phoenix tears,” Newt explained.

“What’d you do to the Phoenix?”

Newt gasped, offended by the question. “Nothing! I found a Phoenix once and had a nasty wound on my leg–“

“Kidding, Newt. I know you’d never hurt one of your beasts.”

“Right,” Newt cleared his throat, cheeks flushed. “Let’s get you fixed up.”

Newt applied a small drop of Phoenix tears to each of Graves’ wounds. “I was so worried,” Newt whispered, voice cracking. Graves smiled, suddenly reminded of something Newt told him during one of their first practice sessions. “Wasn’t it you who told me that worrying means you suffer twice?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Newt mumbled, lips curved upwards just a smidge.

“You’re right. The pain must be making me delirious.”

Newt frowned and traced small circles into Graves' skin. “What happened?” He asked quietly.

Graves flexed his hands and marveled at how rejuvenated they felt. The only evidence that remained of his time in the basement was the dried blood that stained his skin and clothes, along with the floor beneath him. “It was Grindelwald. I think he knew the Obscurus lived in this house and was using me to find the host. With any luck, he already knows who it is. Now, it’s only a matter of when and where he’ll find him.”

“Him?”

“Credence. The Obscurial is a boy named Credence. She,” Graves motioned towards Mary Lou’s lifeless body, “was abusing him. It’s a miracle he's survived so long with such a powerful force inside him.”

“I saw him,” Newt exclaimed. “I wasn’t sure if I was hallucinating or not but I saw him slip into the sewers. Do you think he’ll stay underground?”

“For now. If he wants to remain hidden it’s likely he’ll head for the subway tunnels. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone he thinks is undeserving.”

“I take it that’s a short list? Of people he thinks are deserving?”

“Let’s hope. I’ll let Picquery know where to meet us. Oh, and Newt?”

“Yes?” Graves leaned forward and took Newt’s face in his hands, caressing his cheek with his thumb and placing a tender kiss on the wizard’s unassuming lips. “Thank you for finding me.”

Newt bit his lip and smiled. “My pleasure. But let’s not make a habit of getting kidnapped and stowed away in people’s basements, yes?”

Graves smiled and allowed his hand to linger on Newt’s face. “I’ll do my best.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't believe I've explicitly stated this in a note before but thank you so much to all who have read, left kudos, and commented on this story. I've been going through some stuff in real life lately and it truly brings me joy to know that you guys have enjoyed what I've written thus far. Thank you!!  
> EDIT: I planned on posting the next chapter during the middle of this week but my professor decided to change his mind and make our final exam cumulative so I've been studying day and night in preparation. Sorry for the delay!


	6. Saved

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more exam left! However, it isn't until Thursday so I had time to finish up this chapter. I'm terribly sorry for the delay and hope you guys like it! The next chapter will wrap everything up and our boys will officially bond. ;')

“Newt!” Graves hissed when he and the Magizoologist crashed into a crumbling brick wall that threatened to collapse under their weight. “Sorry,” Newt muttered, “Must’ve miscalculated our trajectory.”

“Who’s there?” A voice sounded from behind the wall. The wizards froze.

A flashlight was shined directly on Graves and Newt not a moment later to reveal the latter pressed firmly against the Auror’s body in a rather compromising position. Newt buried his face in Graves’ coat and turned away, ears tinged red in embarrassment. Graves offered a weak smile and placed his hand on Newt’s head. “My apologies, officer. My mate’s not feeling too well.”

“Alright… well, hurry on home, then.” The officer took one last look at the pair before scurrying off in the other direction, turning a corner and effectively disappearing from view. Graves and Newt remained where they stood until the sound of his footsteps could no longer be heard.

“Mate…?”

“What?”

“You called me your mate,” Newt mumbled against Graves’ shoulder.

“I did,” Graves replied, tone neutral despite the embarrassment he felt. “Sorry,” he muttered.

“No, it’s– “

A loud crash reverberated throughout the tunnel and the pair jolted in response. They ran towards the source of the noise and prayed they’d find Credence before Grindelwald did.

 

Their prayers went unanswered.

Grindelwald approached Credence slowly, appearance mimicking that of Graves. “It’s okay, Credence,” he cooed. “You saved me. Saved all of us.”

Credence was curled in on himself near a set of abandoned tracks. He trembled violently, tears pouring from his eyes as he dug his fingers into his coat and resisted the urge to scream. “And I can save more people like us, p-people like me,” he whispered.

“Yes, you can. But let me help you, Credence. Let me show you how to control it so you can seek justice for those who cannot attain it themselves.”

“You’ll help?” Credence cried.

“Yes. I’ll teach you how to harness your power– “

“Get away from him!” Newt exclaimed. Grindelwald stood and clenched his fists in frustration. He approached Newt slowly, dark eyes locked maliciously on Newt’s light ones. The Magizoologist took a step back, slightly startled at the sight of Graves coming towards him with such blind rage in his eyes. The omega in him wanted to bare his neck in submission.

But this wasn’t his alpha. All it took was one whiff and Newt’s spine straightened, confidence renewed as he stared down the man responsible for so much destruction, so much hate.

“Don’t you know it’s rude to interrupt a conversation?” Grindelwald inquired. “Especially one you haven’t been invited to?” A flick of Grindelwald’s wrist sent Newt flying. His back collided with the railroad tracks and his head throbbed in pain.

Graves did everything he could to resist the urge to run to Newt’s side. Credence, meanwhile, looked on in confusion. “W-who–“ Graves emerged from the shadows and shushed Credence before Grindelwald’s attention turned back to the boy. “Credence, you must stay quiet. This man, he wants to take advantage of you– “ Credence’s head snapped back and forth between Grindelwald and Graves. “H-how are there two of you? How do I know you’re not lying? W-why is everyone acting like they have my best interests in mind when, just the other day, no one cared at all?” The black aura returned, engulfing Credence and effectively regaining Grindelwald’s attention.

“Ah, and who might this be? An imposter?” Grindelwald chimed. Newt pulled himself to a stand and staggered towards the scene. “You’re one to talk,” Graves replied, standing in front of Credence and shielding him from Grindelwald’s view. “Whatever do you mean?" He exclaimed in mock offense. "I am none other than Percival Graves, Auror, Director of Magical Security, and head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. That man," he motioned towards Newt, "is my mate.” Graves growled and lunged for Grindelwald, all rational thought leaving him at the mention of Newt being his. Grindelwald pulled Graves’ wand from his sleeve and drew his hand back–

“Expelliarmus!” Newt exclaimed. The wand flew from Grindelwald’s hand and Graves saw that as an opportunity to restrain the man. Grindelwald fell to his knees and Graves turned around just in time to see Credence allow the Obscuris to overcome him once more. “Credence!” Graves and Newt yelled in unison. Grindelwald smiled and looked on in amusement.

“Mr. Graves,” Seraphina stated. She looked from the real Graves to the fake one and raised a curious brow. “I apologize for not being more punctual– “

Credence roared behind them, prompting Seraphina and the Aurors behind her to raise their wands.

“No!” Newt exclaimed. He stood in front of Credence and spread his arms. “Don’t hurt him… please.”

“Oh? Care to introduce me, Mr. Graves?”

“My name is Newt. Newt Scamander.”

“We were at the house, Mr. Scamander. He killed a No-Maj and he must be dealt with accordingly.”

“Only because she hurt him. She tortured him for years–“

“That doesn’t excuse what he’s done. People will want answers. Knowing what the No-Maj stands for, who do you think will be blamed?”

“I-I know someone who can help him… please…”

“Step aside, Mr. Scamander, or I will be forced to proceed regardless of where you stand.”

“I can’t… I can’t let you hurt him.” Newt reiterated. He remained where he stood, wand gripped tightly in his hand as the Aurors resumed their previous positions.

“Lower your wands,” Graves muttered darkly. Seraphina and the Aurors froze.

“What was that?” She inquired.

“I said, lower your wands.”

“I’m afraid we can’t do that, Mr. Graves, as I’m sure you’re astutely aware–“

Graves growled and bared his teeth, anger radiating off him in waves. The omegas and betas in the crowd cowered at his display, lowering their heads and whimpering in submission. Seraphina stood her ground, stance rigid.

“Did you forget your position–“

“I’m well aware of my position, _Madam President_ , but I’ll be damned if I let you threaten my mate and a boy who’s been through more than any of you could imagine.”

Seraphina assessed Newt carefully. “Your… mate?”

“Yes, my mate. And, as he said, we can help Credence. The Obscurial. All we ask is to be given the chance to do so.”

Credence collapsed to the ground and buried his face in his hands. Newt rushed to his side to console him.

“And if I refuse?”

“Then I guess I’m out of a job.”

Seraphina pursed her lips and turned towards the other Aurors. “You’d better be right about this, Percival.”

“When have I ever been wrong?” He smirked. Seraphina rolled her eyes and turned her attention towards Grindelwald. “Now that that’s settled, who do we have here?”

Newt stood and waved his wand. “Revelio," he whispered. The Aurors muttered anxiously amongst each other and Seraphina approached the Dark Wizard with caution.

“Gellert Grindelwald. You failed to mention this in your note, Mr. Graves.” The Auror shrugged and placed one hand on Newt’s back and the other on Credence’s shoulder. “Sorry.”

“Take him away,” Seraphina ordered. “Oh, and Mr. Graves?”

“Yes?”

“Congratulations. You as well, Mr. Scamander.”

Newt blushed and leaned into Graves’ touch. “Thank you, Madam President…”

Seraphina and the Aurors Disapparated, leaving Credence, Graves, and Newt behind. “Did you… did you really mean that? That you know someone who can help me?”

Graves and Newt turned towards Credence and smiled. “An old professor of mine. A brilliant wizard, really. He can teach you a great deal more than I ever could. But it’s all up to you, Credence. Granted, you’d have to leave America– “

“Yes! I... I'll go,” Credence fingered the hem of his shirt and shied away at his outburst. “Sorry… it’s just… b-better there than here, I figure…”

“You’ll love Hogwarts.” Newt beamed. “It’s the best wizarding school in existence, after all.”

Graves cleared his throat and raised an inquisitive brow. “Is that so?”

“Yes,” Newt nodded. “No doubt about it.”

Credence smiled for what seemed like a millisecond before furrowing his brows in concern. “Will he… will he want me?”

Newt placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and grinned. “He'll be thrilled to have you.”

 

“We should head back to my place and get some rest before we leave,” Graves offered. Credence and Newt agreed and the trio made their way for the exit. They were halfway up the stairs when Credence stopped in his tracks.

“I…” Credence paused for a moment before continuing, “I–I want to thank you, both of you, for defending me.”

“I should be the one thanking you,” Graves chuckled. "You're a good person, Credence. Never forget that."

A genuine smile graced Credence’s lips; he was exhausted, but for the first time in a long time, he felt hopeful for what the future held in store for him.

Newt fell behind Credence and Graves and watched them ascend the stairs. "Newt?" Graves called.

"Coming," he answered. Graves wrapped his arm around Newt's waist and planted a kiss on his forehead. "Let's head home."

And so they went.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I rewatched the Harry Potter movies recently and it had a slight influence on how I chose to end this chapter, haha. Once I take my French final I'll be able to finish up the last chapter and start another fic I have in mind for these two! As always, thank you so much for reading and I greatly appreciate the continued support!


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